Desk-pad desk.



A. J. COGHRAN.

DESK PAD DESK.

APPLICATION I'ILED NOV. 10, 1913 1,116,016, Patented N0v.3,1914.

Witnesses. Inventor.

Arthurd.cochran, fiewz MLQW AUyfs.

UNITED STATiSlATENT orrron.v

ARTHUR J. COCHRAN, OF EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 COCI-IRAN DESK PAD 00., A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

DESK-PAD DESK.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

Application filed November 10, 1913. Serial No. 800,040.

1 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. COGHRAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Desk-Pad Desks, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts. I

This invention relates to improvements in desk pad desks or shelves and comprises the production of a portable device which may be used as a desk pad or drawing board upon the usual desk or may be so supported as to be conveniently used as a-writing deskor easel adapted for use in lecture halls,

school rooms, etc, or may be converted into ashelf for use upon the arm or back of a chair, or may be attached toa window-sill, a piazza rail, or the side of a boat to hold a graphophone, or to be attached to an automobile door to serve as a lunch table, or which may be adapted to various other uses.

One of the objects of the invention,'therefore, is to provide a desk pad or other suit able table top, with means whereby the same may be adjusted to any desired incli nation relative to the surface of the supporting desk or table.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for supporting the basal edge of a desk pad, shelf, or table top in contact with a vertical or substantially vertical surface in such manner that said pad may be supported by an attached adjustable brace to form a writing desk or book or music rack. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a desk pad desk with a ledge which is adapted to be detachably secured in the pockets of the desk pad to serve to support books, music, etc., upon the pad when the.-

same is in an inclined position.

In the drawings: Figure 1 represents a shown a desk pad of the ordinary formcomprising a rectangular body board or table 1 tially U-shaped in form, the legs 56 thereof being pivotally attached respectively to the supporting members 34, the horizontal portion 7 of said brace being adapted tot-rest upon a table or otherfixed device to, support the pad in inclined position. The ends of the legs 5--6 of said members are preferably bent at right angles and inserted in suitable holesin the supporting members'3 and 4: at any desired distance from the basal edge 8 of the pad, and means are provided for adjusting the distance between the horizontal member 7 and the basal edge of the pad and therefore affording any desired adjustment of the inclination of the pad or shelf. The means for securing this adjustment, as shown in the preferred embodiment of my invention shown herein, comprises a cord 9 which is secured in a hole10 near the end of the strengthening member 3, which is adjacent to the basal edge 8 of the pad, and.

is passed through a loop 11 in the horizontal member 7 of the brace and thence through an aperture 12 in the strengthening member 4 adjacent to the basal edge. The adjusting cord is preferably knotted at its'endstopre vent the same from being withdrawn through the holes and a suitable lock is provided for.

securing the cord in any. desiredposition.

Any suitable locking means may of course be provided, in the device shown herein, however, I have illustrated a preferred form of rope lock which comprises a flat resilient member 13 having a notch at its end which terminates in an arcuate recess adapted to engage the cord, said resilient memberbeing secured to the edge of the strengthening member 4 by screws 14 in such position that the notch 15 in the end of said member is in alinement with the aperture 12 through which the cord 8 passes. I

In operation the resilient member 13 is lifted slightly to permit the cord to pass freely through the aperture and the brace swungoutward to substantially such position as will support the desk pad at the desired inclination. The cord is then pulled taut and a light pressure is brought to bear upon the inclined pad. This will cause the cord 8, to be drawn slightly backward so that the notched end 15 of the member 13 will bite into the cord and secure the same from further movement.

It is sometimes desirable to use a desk adjacent to a window or in some part of the room where it is inconvenient to have a desk sitting all the time. I have therefore provided means whereby this desk pad desk may be attached to a window ledge, the back or object presenting a substantially vertical support, or by screw eyes placed in a wall or casement which will adapt the device to be used in any convenient place as in windows for displaying articles, etc. This mechanism comprises a hook, 'or preferably a pair of hooks 2021 which are pivoted to the back of the desk pad or preferably to the strengthening members 34 and are adapted to engage over a ledge, the back of a chair, or

other convenient article to support the basal edge and to permit the brace to be adjusted to give the desk pad the desired inclination.

port, since if but a single supporting point is afforded the hooks together with this single supporting point will form a three point support for the device, or if there are any irregularities in the substantially vertical supporting members the resilience of this U- shaped support will permit it to accommodate itself to such irregularities. It is therefore practically immaterial what character of substantially vertical support is provided for the U-shaped member, or whether such support engages the U-shaped member near one of its ends or near the center thereof.

In order that the desk pad desk aforesaid may be used for supporting a book for reading or a sheet'of music, or the like, I have 5 provided a detachable ledge 30 which may arm of achair, a bureau drawer or other if desired be provided with pivoted latches 31 adapted to be folded within the edge of said ledge, and when turned at right angles to enter the lower pockets 2 of said desk pad. This ledge may, if desired, be made in the form of a straight edge or ruler and may also be graduated in inches or in any other suitable scale so that it may be used as a ruler or measuring device when disengaged from the desk pad.

When not in use as a desk or as an in- I clined book support, the brace and hooks are adapted to be folded within the plane of the shown in Fig. 3 and hooked over the window ledge or other supporting object. shaped brace is then positioned and adjusted by the cord 9 in the manner aforesaid so that will rest against the wall or the vertical side of the supporting means while the hooks which project beyond said basal edge will The U- engage over the ledge or a vertical edge of the supporting object. By this arrangement 5 a strong, useful and handy desk is provided. It has been found in practice that the desk or shelf thus afi'orded may be conveniently used in class rooms, lecture halls, hospitals, the home, and many other places where it is inconvenient to have a permanent desk or table. The hooks are adapted to engage over any substantially vertical ledge whether narrow or several inches in width and the U-shaped brace which is pivoted to the back of the desk pad or shelf provides a suitable supporting means which may be adjusted to give any desired inclination to the shelf. It will be particularly observed that by reason of the cross bar which connects the arms of the U-shaped brace a bearing member is pr0- vided which will rigidly support the shelf properly whether there is a continuous rest for the same or whether the substantially vertical supporting member affords a single point of support or even an irregular sup- 5 lower surfaces of the strengthening mem- When it is desired to use the device as a desk in the manner aforesaid these hooks are l swung outwardly beyond the basal edge as bers, so that the device may be used as an ordinary desk pad.

The portions of the brace which are permitted to rest upon the table top or other support are preferably provided with a covering of rubber or other suitable material to prevent the device from scratching, the supthe horizontal member of the U-shaped brace 5 port hooks 2021 may likewise be provided with such a covering.

It is to be understood that the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is illus trative merely and not restrictive and that it may be incorporated in other forms.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described a shelf adapted to support articles placed thereon, a pair of hooked members pivotally attached to the under side of said shelf and adapted to be folded within the outer edges thereof or to be swung outwardly so as to project beyond the edge to engage a supporting ledge, an inverted U-shaped brace the legs of which are pivotally secured to the underside of the shelf and the connecting member of which presents an extended bearing adapted to rest against a post, wall or other supporting object, and means for securing said U-shaped member in adjusted position.

2. In a device of the class described a shelf adapted to support articles placed thereon, a pair of transverse strengthening members, a pair of hooked members pivotally-secured to said strengthening members and adapted to be folded within the edge of the shelf or to be swung so as to project beyond the edge thereof to engage a supporting ledge an inverted U-shaped brace, the legs of which are pivotally secured to said shelf and the horizontal member of which presents an extended bearing adapted to rest against a post, a wall or other supporting object and flexible means connecting said U-shaped member to said strengthening members and means to engage said flexible member to permit an accurate adjustment thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses ARTHUR J. COOHRAN.

Witnesses: r 1

FREDERICK A. TENNANT, THOMAS J. DRUMMOND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

